Noms and Nilla

Yes I would first off like to welcome myself back to the game. I am now 21, a senior at WSU and taking life one step at a time. I have fell off the health wagon and gotten back on it so many times I lost count. But that is life. Now, enough about me, on to the good food!!

I found this recipe in an old Cosmopolitan magazine and decided to give it a whirl with my mother this weekend. It was phenomenal! I say follow the directions (minus the STEVIA IN THE RAW, just stick to the SUGAR IN THE RAW)

I have also decided based off my love for food and all things delicious, I am naming my new puppies (when I get them after college) Noms and Nilla (like om nom and vanilla)

nom out, -Me

Mamma Mia I LOVE My Pizza!

As you can probably tell already, I am totally into making ordinarily somewhat junk food into slightly healthier versions. So I took this basic pizza dough recipe from my mother and added my own 'healthified' personal touch.

 Pizza Dough

1 T sugar

1 C warm water

1 envelope yeast

3 1/4 C bread or unbleached all purpose flour ( I used whole wheat flour)

1 t salt

1/4 C olive oil

*(I also added about 1/4 cup ground flax seed).

in small bow, dissolve sugar in warm water (warm to the finger but not too hot)

Sprinkle yeast over water and stir gently until it dissolve (1 min)

When yeast is properly mixed with water at proper temperature, a smooth, beige -colored mixture.

Let stand in warm spot till thin layer of foam covers surface (about 5 min), indicating  yeast is effective.

Combine 3 C of flour with salt in large bow.

Make well in the center and pour yeast mix and the oil.

Using wooden spoon vigorously stir the flour into the well, beginning in the center and working toward the side of the bowl, till flour is incorporated and the soft dough just begins to hold together.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Dust hand with flour and knead dough gently.

When kneading, very gradually add just enough of the remaining 1/4 C of flour till dough is no longer sticky or tacky.

About 5 minutes of kneading

Continue kneading till dough is smooth, elastic and shiny, 10-15 min longer

Do not over knead, Only knead until it feels smooth and springy

Shape dough into a ball and place in a well oiled bowl, turning to coat completely all side with oil.

Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set to rise in a draft free warm place until doubled in bulk (about 45 min for quick rising yeast or 1 1/2 hr for regular yeast)

With fist, punch down dough as soon as it has doubled.

Shape into ball, pressing out all air bubbles.

Makes one 15-16 inch pizza or 2 12-inc pizza

Calzone: Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until done and slightly browned, approximately 13-16 minutes. The calzone will be extremely hot, so let it cool 15 minutes or so before eating.

Cosmo's Banana Bread

When I was first dating Andrew, I got it into my head that if he liked my baked goods so much, how about his parents? I had never met them but I wanted to get on their good side as soon as I could. My dad is a huge fan of banana bread and I wanted to try a new recipe to surprise him. I flipped through my Cosmopolitan magazines for any recipes I could find. One section caught my eye, "Foods that can seduce". They had recipes to 'wow friends' and to 'make up with your boyfriend'. But the one I noticed the most was 'how to win over your guys parents'. Now, I must inform you that originally, I was making banana bread for my dad. But the recipe whipped up about 2 loaves. So I got into my head that I would bring the other loaf over to Andrew's house for his parents. Being the shy one with parents at first, I would ding dong ditch and leave the loaf on the doorstep. So I wrapped up a BB loaf with a paper towel, tied a cute ribbon across the top and dropped it off on his doorstep. The note I attached said "I had an extra loaf and thought you guys would enjoy it." Which was in fact, completely made up. My dad mentioned the missing loaf later but I played it off so he never knew. But from that day on, his parents adored my baked good deliveries and that is how I won them over. So here I am to share the recipe with you all and hope whoever this delicious banana bread is for, they enjoy it fully :)

Here is the online version where I got the recipe: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/relationship-advice/katie-lee-joel-recipes-4

Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup sugar

½ cup canola oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk

3 medium bananas, mashed

½ cup walnuts, finely minced (about 2 oz.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk in three additions. Gently stir in the bananas and nuts. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.

Bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Carefully turn out the loaf to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Stax

http://www.urbanspoon.com/u/menu/1503875?p=0

Another hungry day for Sue and I! So I decided to bring her to Stax sandwiches in Moscow, Idaho. There were so many different choices to choose from! But Since I had been here before, I knew what I wanted the most. The menu runs under $10 per sandwich. The portions (if you choose large or there is no small option) are big so if you cannot finish them, you can always wrap them up for a snack later or perhaps even dinner. Stax is located at 402 West 6th St. Moscow, ID 8384. Overall, I would rate Stax at an 8.5 out of 10.

I ordered the Ruben but I definitely did not need a large sandwich so I got the small one. And even the small sandwich was the size of my hand!! It was so much but oh so good! I am a huge sauerkraut fan and it paired perfectly with the thousand island dressing and pastrami. As usual, the sandwich came with a pickle slice and a small heap of Ruffles.
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Sue, being the first timer to Stax, decided to try her hand at The Hog, which had ham, swiss cheese, mayo, tomato and lettuce. She added mustard and onions and after her first bite she declared to me that it was a great sandwich.---->

It is a small place and the hours run from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. so make sure you get there early and try to beat the noon crowd and grab a seat!
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Smoky Mountain Pizzeria Grill

I tagged along with some of my good friends to Smoky Mountain Pizzeria Grill in Moscow, ID yesterday. I was not extremely hungry so my friend Bree was nice enough to share a dish with me.

The appetizers we all decided to get were the Southwestern Spring Rolls, Fried Mozzerella and a large order of garlic bread.

The spring rolls had a great wonton wrap that was crispy and fried on the outside but the chicken inside was a bit too creamy and overwhelming for me. The mozzarella sticks were like any mozzarella sticks, but the cheese on the inside was a bit tough and not gooey enough in my opinion.

Then came the main course. Bree picked out entree and although I did not catch the name of the dish, it was pasta with a spicy kick and came with two slices of garlic bread.

Bryce ordered the Trail Creek burger which came with a cornmeal bun, onion rings, choice of cheese (he chose provolone) and waffle-cut fries. However, much to his disappointment, the burger itself did not consist of much meat and he did not end up finishing it.

Nicole ordered a personal sized Margherita pizza. She enjoyed it and according to Bree, who has been to this restaurant before in Boise, ID., the pizza is the best thing to order on the menu.

All in all, I give Smoky Mountain Pizzeria Grill a 5 out of 10 on my scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst, and 10 being the best. I would probably not return here.

Welcome to Pinch of Pullman!

I have decided that since Seattle has its very own bite, and Tacoma has its very own taste, I thought that during my last year and a fourth of college at Washington State University, Pullman deserved its very own pinch. This blog is dedicated to finding new restaurants in the Pullman/Moscow area and giving you a first hand look at the menu, customer service, and what the restaurant has to offer. I will let you know where to find the best places to eat and give you a heads up on the worst (in my opinion of course). I will give you the cheapest places and the fanciest places. I will also share healthy tips that I have picked up along the way, where your dollar goes the furthest and new recipes passed on by family and friends. My goal is to end my college career with a bang, all while eating my way through the finest delicacies that Pullman and Moscow have to offer. P.S. Once I turn 21 in August, I might add a beer tasting section to this blog.

Bon Appetit!

*Homemade spinach pizza from scratch!